4 Outfits For Work

Being fun but professional in the workplace is quite difficult. Top it with trying to stay on a budget and you got a real dilemma. How do you dress at work so you don’t look boring and the average Joe? Many women comment that what brands and other magazines suggest is out of their budget and does not fit within the salary of a regular office person (unless you are a lawyer in NYC).

Here are my suggestions for dressing for the office, proposing 5 outfits and repurposing some of these items as well. Those are perfect if you are traveling for work like me and only have a carry on with you for the entire week. By the way, this is pretty much how I dress. I actually own some of these pieces, like the camel coat I bought in London from Zara last year. They still sell it this year, in case you want to buy it.

Tips when shopping for work:

You'll find that some items are expensive, like the Furla bag, but are worth the money given the bag will last years.

Anthropologie has sales on a regular basis, I like to mark skirts I find pretty and then wait until they are marked down 40-60% off.

Nordstrom Rack is a great place to score expensive shoes like Jimmy Choo for a fraction of the price. I bought ankle boots for $87

Zara has basic items like tees, coats, pants for a reasonable price. During sale you can score t-shirts for $7. Their line this season was not impressive but you can't go wrong with black tees.

Cashmere: Nothing keeps me warmer than cashmere. I am quite picky about the feel and look of sweaters. I tend to stay away from big sweaters, which is hard to find or order on-line. J.Crew, Saks Fifth Ave has different discounted sites. Currently you can get over 50% on cashmere sweaters. Try them on at the regular store to familiarize yourself with the style, fit and brand, then wait until they go on sale.

Jeans: your work place might allow you to wear jeans. In this case I can only say that it is impossible to find the perfect pair unless you try them on. I don't believe spending in $200 on a pair of jeans. My favorite and best fitting are from Zara or obscure brands. Don't be afraid of brands like H&M, even JCPenny.

Denim with Stripes

At the first sight of winter and chilly weather I lay every clothing item I own and pile it on myself. Given that coats seem to be too big or 'important' I rather put on double shirts, double blouses and blazers. It is my way to still function.